Recently, the construction industry has been actively promoting in-house venture programs as a means of developing new technologies.
GS Engineering & Construction (GS E&C) stands out as one of the most proactive players, having spun off its first and second in-house ventures to drive new technology discovery. Other construction companies—including Lotte, Daewoo, and Hoban—are also joining this trend by establishing dedicated departments for in-house ventures.
On the 12th, GS E&C announced that “Zero Next Materials,” an eco-friendly construction materials company established as an in-house venture, has been spun off as an independent corporation.
Zero Next Materials is GS E&C’s second in-house venture and was founded under the leadership of CEO Jong-hyun Ryu, a Ph.D. in civil engineering with over 20 years of experience researching construction materials within the company. The startup specializes in eco-friendly construction materials.
The company has achieved tangible results by developing “mortar grout,” a low-carbon, eco-friendly construction product that replaces more than 80% of cement used in grout by combining steelmaking slag—a largely discarded byproduct from steel plants—with chemical additives.
Starting as an in-house venture team, Zero Next Materials conducted more than 130 experiments over approximately one year from the initial idea stage. Through this process, it verified compatibility with GS E&C’s existing products and successfully secured commercial viability…
